Canadians working longer, businesses learning to accommodate aging baby boomers
An unprecedented tide of workers reaching retirement age will reshape the way Canadians work and do business, say experts. “In 2011, census data showed for the first time that there were more people aged 55 to 64, typically the age group where people leave the labour force, than aged 15 to 24, typically the […]
Feds bracing for slow growth and a fiscal squeeze
The federal government says that social program and labour market reforms are necessary policies in responding to Canada’s aging population, but critics accuse the majority-governing Conservatives of using the demographic shift to weaken Canada’s social safety net and benefit the private sector. According to Finance Canada’s 2012 report on The Economic and Fiscal Implications […]
National Research Council will be ‘transformed’ to respond to private sector demand, says Science Minister Goodyear
It’s been less than a year since the Jenkins panel released its recommendations on federal R&D spending and the government is already well on its way to implementing many of the policies, but Minister of State for Science and Technology Gary Goodyear (Cambridge-North Dumfries, Ont.) says it’s too early to say for certain that […]
It’s time to nurture an emerging Canadian regenerative medicine industry
TORONTO—Canada is a world leader in regenerative medicine research and discovery, but excellent research is not enough. Canada needs to create jobs, by launching new companies, to profit from these discoveries and make sure the knowledge is being translated into products and therapies that will benefit Canadians. In regenerative medicine, as in other areas, […]
Feds investing more in science and technology ‘than ever in the history of our nation,’ says Goodyear
The life sciences sector is praising the federal government’s latest investments in scientific research and commercialization, but the industry says it will take a sustained effort before the emphasis on bringing innovations to market pays off. “This government has given more money to science and technology than ever in the history of our nation,” […]
Canada’s life sciences sector continues to drive innovation
Canada’s life sciences sector plays an important role in the Canadian economy and improves the daily lives of Canadians. The government of Canada has worked to sustain and grow this important sector by creating a strong business environment that attracts investment and by providing support for cutting-edge business innovation. The sector has been undergoing […]
Life sciences and the commodification of everything
SAANICH GULF ISLANDS, B.C.—It was once the case that the term “life sciences” meant the scientific study of living organisms. It meant biology, zoology, ecology, and even bio-ethics. In what must have been a public relations re-branding, “life sciences” has now adopted an almost entirely technological, commercial focus on genetically-modified products and pharmaceuticals. It […]
Feds shift funds away from basic science research to business-driven applied research programs
BURNABY-DOUGLAS, B.C.—Increasing productivity remains a tough challenge for all sectors of the Canadian economy, with one of the main concerns identified in the well-cited 2011 Jenkins report being “ Canada’s business innovation problem.” In Innovation Canada: A Call to Action, the Jenkins panel explains how Canadian businesses are much slower than our U.S. counterparts […]
Canada’s life sciences industry split on Canada-EU free trade agreement
Canada’s pharmaceutical and biotechnological research sectors say proposed changes to the country’s intellectual property regime will foster innovation and attract investment, but the generic drug and regenerative medicine sectors warn that the changes could have unintended consequences for the cost and quality of medicine in Canada. “We need to be as good as, if […]
Aboriginal Issues
